Open Source Weblog

Enderle’s central point is that Cuba’s adoption of Linux raises the potential for the operating system to be seen as anti-American. A fair point, perhaps, but Enderle picks up this “what if” and stretches it as far as he can, creating a potential problem that doesn’t exist and criticizing Linux for not being able to deal with it.

“Can you imagine the NSA IT manager trying to get funding for a Linux based project right now? We are dropping into an extended election where the war in Iraq, terrorism, and nationalism are likely to be major battlegrounds. On the economic front, China remains a huge concern and in many battles it too is likely to come up, particularly as these battles are fought in areas where unions are strong,” he writes.

“If I’m running against an incumbent (who probably has no clue about software at all) and I know some organization under them deployed Linux and that it is being positioned as anti-U.S., might I not use that in the election? ‘Ladies and gentlemen I promise that under my administration we will not implement products like Linux that put the nation at risk, which contribute critical technology to the terrorists, and embolden our enemies.’,” he adds.

“With a proprietary product someone clearly owns the brand…” he continues. “Granted, large companies can make mistakes because they are made up of humans, but there are a number of protections in place that should reduce the exposure of a company product suddenly being the poster child of terrorists or other hostile entities.”

Then it is revealed that – shock horror – there is a Chinese version of Linux, which should send us all running for the shotguns under our beds I’m sure. And if Bush wasn’t already thinking about invading Iran, the following suggestion should push him over the edge.

“Outside of Miami, Cuba isn’t a huge problem and Linux will likely survive this, but Iran and Cuba are close, and were this repeated in Iran I think we would have a real PR problem. And who handles that exactly? In fact, who protects the Linux brand and would be responsible from making sure it didn’t show up on a terrorist site with the words ‘death to America’?”

He’s right you know, the first thing I’d do if someone threatened my country would be to ask what operating system they’re using.

Anyway, back to Enderle’s musings about Linux being used as a potential weapon for political FUD.

“In politics all you need is a grain of truth. In fact, sometimes I wonder if you even need a ‘grain.’,” he writes, which is a significant statement when you also consider that he framed his entire argument with the following:

[FSF chairman Richard] "Stallman, in his own talk, actually quoted Bill Gates as comparing Linux to Communism, apparently agreeing with the statement which likely played very well with the Cuban audience but probably not so well with the NSA.”

Except this isn’t what happened, unless Enderle was in Cuba listening to the speech and the Associated Press report Enderle references got it all wrong of course.

“Communications Minister Ramiro Valdes, an old comrade-in-arms of President Fidel Castro… also noted that Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates once described copyright reformers — including people who want to do away with proprietary software — as ‘some new modern-day sort of communists’ — which is a badge of honor from the Cuban perspective,” the AP report stated.

“One of the big problems with Linux, as I see it, is that certain topics (basically anything that may imply that Linux isn’t the best thing for every possible use) is off the table, because that discussion creates FUD,” adds Enderle, thereby apparently second guessing any criticism.

It doesn’t work. I'm not sure what the dictionary definition of FUD is, but I'm fairly sure it's something to do with hyping an imaginary problem.